Old Flames, New Sparks
by Thesda
Summary: DK’s old flame, Kerrigan Doherty returns to his life with secrets and new sparks rekindle old flames. What's her secret? What will happen? Chapter 2 is up.....Chapter 3 to come within the week.
1. Old Flames

Title: Old Flames, New Sparks

Authors: JENTWCSINYFAN and THESDA

Rated: PG-13(minor cursing)

Summary: DK's old flame, Kerrigan Doherty returns to his life with secrets and new sparks rekindle old flames. What will happen?

DISCLAIMER: We do not own anyone except Kerrigan.

Author's Notes: Jen and I have been RPing Kerri and DK for about 4 years now so this has been coming for a while we finally got together on things. Enjoy please read and review.

Chapter 1

Old Flames

Lead Arson Investigator Kerrigan Doherty and her Daughter, KayLeigh Marissa, came into the firehouse. Kerri had carried the pajama-clad girl up the stairs, carrying her briefcase, and duffle bag. The brunette girl was sleeping a slight snore came out. She pushed the door open and walked in, "Excuse me I'm looking for Jimmy Doherty," she said, as she stood holding the five-year-old girl.

DK said, "He'd be up the stairs and to the left, in the office marked Lieutenant now, Kerri." Then his head lowered and he massaged a stiff muscle at the base of his left shoulder.

"Thanks," she said. _How did he know it was me?_ She thought as she walked up the stairs to Jimmy's office. She knocked with her foot, thinking _Come on Jimmy answer the door,_ She was starting to loose her grip on KayLeigh.

Jimmy said, "Come in." He was looking at files on his desk and putting some into a drawer. "Hey Kerri, Hi KayLeigh," He smiled slightly, "What's up?"

DK was popping Advil and Walsh said, "So who was she?" DK said, "Just someone I once knew. No big deal, I'll be up on my bunk or on the roof for a bit, brother."

He walked up the stairs thinking _God she still looked beautiful and that little girl is a cutie_.

Kerri came in, "I'm sorry to bring her with me Jimmy," she said, "My sitter is sick, so is she," she said. "Downtown called me this morning. I am now the lead Arson Investigator. I am so far behind in cases it is not funny. Oh and I'm assigned here." she said, dropping the duffle bag and briefcase.

"It's all right. And I have had everything possible that a kid can bring home or in here. Congratulations and welcome to the family. The extra office is across the hall and set up for you. Uh….did you happen to see DK?"

She was glad she shut the door and laid her daughter down on the couch, and sat next to her, running her hand over her daughters brown hair. She shook her head, "Yes, I've seen him but I don't know honestly if I should tell him now or wait till I settle in and he gets used to my presence here" she said, "What do you think?" She looked up at Jimmy.

Jimmy said "I think I'd let that wait a while, hon. He hasn't been himself the past few days and he has been talking about wanting a vacation. I would not want you to get your head fed to you. He's even been snapping at Billy and those two are like brothers."

She nodded, "Can I leave KayLeigh here, while I get settled?" she said, standing knowing her brother could not turn down his niece. She kissed his forehead, and walked upstairs with her briefcase and duffle bag in hand. She ran a hand threw her long brown curly hair. She saw DK on his bunk she took a deep breath, waiting on the top stair.

Jimmy said, "Sure she can color or whatever if she feels like it." He tucked a blanket around the small girl and gently felt her forehead for fever. He smiled at his sister and wiped her lip-gloss off his head with a paper towel.

DK was on his bunk trying to get a nap and waiting for the Advil to kick in on his sore body as he laid there. He had taken off his uniform shirt and had a pale blue tank top on while he was under his blanket and curled up in his usual ball.

She walked in slowly trying not to make too much noise. She sighed the only bunk open was next to DK. She shook her head, put her briefcase on the bed, and opened it quietly. She really did not know what to do at this point. She would have to ask jimmy later if she could switch bunks with him. He would understand.

Something fell to the floor off DK's bunk as he moved in his sleep. It was just a stuffed brown bear in a firefighter outfit that a little neighborhood girl had given him after 9/11, one rainy shift. He had kept it around for just the memory of that time and that there were good people out there. He snored slightly despite his Breathe right strip that he wore.

She sat on the bunk and put her head in her hands. She heard the bear fall, picked it off the ground, and put it on his bed. She pulled out her Lead Arson Investigator shirt, and stripped off the Polo she had on. She had a Tank underneath it, pulled on her Arson shirt, and sighed tucking it in. She ran a hand through her hair.

DK rolled over and had his left arm around the bear as it was clutched to his side. He mumbled something and then turned to face the wall on the other side of the room. He wanted to be on a nice sandy beach somewhere and leave the firefighting and hero playing behind for a while.

He pulled himself out of the bunk and just went to the window to look outside quietly and thinking he was alone.

By this time Kerri had sat on her bunk, head in her soft hands. Her now long curly hair cascaded over her fingers. She heard him move and she looked up. She heard him mumble and her heart hurt for him. Had she done that to him, had she made him so hurt so bad that it was finally showing? Once he was outside, she stood and followed slowly, "Mind if I join you?"

He turned and said, "Sure if you want. Feels like fall is coming soon." He leaned against the brick wall of the firehouse and moved his neck from side to side slowly.

She looked at him, her hands in her pockets. "Yeah I can't wait, its better than Summer you know." she said, "DK, There's not going to be a problem with my working here is there," she said, softly running a hand through her hair.

"Yeah the air just feels different and you get to wear the sweatshirts and stuff."

He looked at her for a moment just taking her profile in quietly. "No there won't be I'm just tired and worn out. Think I need some down time for a few days to get back my love for the job." He stretched slowly wishing he did not feel old today of all days.

Kerri looked at him. Love for the job, what about love for her, their daughter. All Kerri wanted to do was scream that KayLeigh was his daughter. She wanted him in her daughter's life. "Why don't you talk to Jimmy you know he'd give you the time off" she said, "Take a personal day, you need it" she said.

"Well, yeah I could do that. And hmm the boss is your big brother huh? I guess I'd better really be nice," he said it with an edge slightly.

Anger flashed through her. She knew that if she did not keep her voice down everyone would hear. She spun her hair going with her. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" she said.

"It was a stupid comment and I'm tired and not feeling all that great today." DK sighed and ran a hand through his hair slowly. "I'm sorry I just wasn't prepared to see you again after all this time Kerri."

She looked at him hurt on her face, "You meant something by that," she said. Did he stop caring about her when she left him? She was scared and young. "What did you mean?"

DK said, "I meant that i'm an ass plain and simple." "And I can't go back there again hurt too damn much when you left; the hell of it is i'm still stupid in love with you." He was quiet and just looked down at the tile on the rooftop

He still loved her. She opened her mouth to say something. It had been five years. He did not even know that KayLeigh was his daughter. She sighed, "You are," she said. IT might be her mistake but she wore a ring on her left ring finger that looked like it could pass as a wedding band.

"Yeah I am I guess I like punishing myself huh?" He said" I cannot do this it just makes me hurt all over again Kerri. "He moved past her and slammed the door to the roof accidentally and then went downstairs in the direction of Jimmy's office. He said, "Lieu i need some time off my head isn't in it and i feel like crap."

Jimmy said" Take a few days i was wondering when you'd wear out after the double and triple shifts you'd been putting in the last few weeks." DK nodded and went to change into street clothes

She looked at the sky before, "WHY?" she asked to sky before going back inside to plop on her bunk. Holding her head in her hands. She popped 4 Excedrin and took a deep breath

DK meanwhile was changing into some sweats that he liked for being at home in his apartment and a faded blue t-shirt that showed his tightly toned abdomen. He was not doing it intentionally just had it around his bag of spare clothes. He was dressed and headed through the locker room area to the stairs not noticing Kerri at first.

She was so angry at him. She had tearstains on her cheeks. She had to tell him about KayLeigh Marissa being his daughter but how he hated her enough as is. She did not want him hating her daughter. She saw him come in and she sniffed pulling a picture of her daughter off the shelf above her bunk to look at it. YEah her daughter was there with her but if KayLeigh saw, her crying too many questions would emerge. Questions she was not ready for

DK saw her crying and felt like shit for making it happen. He wished that he could just be calm and happy to see her again but he could not. Sometimes he wondered why he even tried when he just seemed to hurt everybody around him. He felt his stomach turn over and pushed his way into the men's room. He waited a while and then sure enough it erupted. He stood there with his eyes watering and then flushed the toilet quickly. His face was pale in the mirror and his eyes were moist when he looked at himself.

She stood and headed towards the bathroom. Yeah so, it was the men's room. She sighed, grabbed a can of Sprite from under Jimmy's bunk, knocked softly before pushing the door open, and handed him the soda, "It will help settle your stomach," she said, softly.

Thanks." He said tiredly. "Must have picked up a bug or something I guess." He wiped his eyes with one hand and splashed some water on his face slowly. Then he opened the can of surprisingly cold soda slowly and took a sip.

"Yeah a bug or something" she said, She touched his forehead with the back of her hand, "You don't have a fever." she said, the cold metal of her ring hitting his head. She looked at him. Her eyes showed her emotions for the time she had been in the same room with him. Fear, Love, Overwhelmed, Hatred, Anger, Relief, Sadness, Hurt.

Fear, that when he found out that she had his daughter that he would turn her away. Love for her daughter and her own love for him. The feeling of being overwhelmed, work and the fight they had just had. Hatred for the way he was treating her. Anger at the same and at her self for not just telling him about KayLeigh even through she knew she had to tell him. Relief, that he still loved her, which gave her a glimmer of hope that he would want to be in her daughter's life. Sadness and hurt over the fact she could not tell him with out her heart breaking.

"You can get an upset stomach without a temperature." He said it quietly. "Thank you for checking on me and all that." He said, "So you're married now, who is the lucky guy?" He was quiet as a range of emotions ran through him. Hurt over her, exhaustion in general, stress from burnout of the job, sadness for what he could not have back and love for her that he could not seem to put out of his heart.

"I'm not married, it's a scare tactic to keep people away" she said, "My daughter is my life," she said, _our daughter,_ she thought. "I know you can," she said dropping her hand

"Well single motherhood is tough but does the dad help out financially if he's not in the picture?" "And you would be good mom." he felt her touch even though she dropped her hand. Funny how things stayed with you when they were gone.

She took his you would be a good Mom comment totally wrong. She pulled picture from her pocket and place it on the counter gently, "Not that you need to know, but no he doesn't HE doesn't even know about her, because I broke his heart and I was afraid to tell him." she said, "Damn it DK, your her father," she SCREAMED at him.

She turned and left on her heels and ran down the stairs sobbing she got to her office and slammed her door, so hard the station shook.

DK said" Wait whoa what the hell. "He was totally thrown and felt like someone knocked the wind out of him or had hit him right in the stomach. He had just one thought in his head. Jimmy had to have known and never told him. God if anything he knew how much he wanted kids. He went down the stairs and just kicked over one of the kitchen chairs to the floor with a bang.

Then he pounded on Jimmy's office door. "Open up Jimmy now I have something to say to you." Jimmy knew DK was pissed from the explosion of his sister from upstairs. He just tried calming KayLeigh who was scared. DK hit the door again and his hand broke the glass on it. "Ow my hand son of a bitch." Blood poured down his knuckles and there were glass pieces all through his fingers and palm.

Kerri heard the cursing and screaming she grabbed her knees and cried. She heard the breaking glass of jimmy's door and she was on her feet running for her Daughter. Her door swung open and she saw utter Chaos. She pushed passed DK and the glass and ran to her daughter's side. "Its ok KayLeigh" she said, glaring at DK. She knew he was not after her but. "DEREK STOP, YOUR SCARING HER" she said, "I TOLD JIMMY NOT TO TELL YOU"

Alex came shooting up the stairs Blood DK's Blood, "DK Come on" she said coming over to DK

DK took a slow breath. "You have no right to call me Derek; you took someone that I would have wanted to have in my life." He just glared at Jimmy then. "I thought you were my friend man, god you knew how much her leaving killed me. If I had known about my daughter maybe, i would have found a way to work it out. "His eyes were empty looking then.

Jimmy said" Go home until you feel better and have your head on straight." "Walsh, Lombardo cleans this mess up or goes with him in the bus i don't care. I just want everybody out of this area and no other noise unless it's making dinner got me."


	2. New Sparks

Title: Old Flames, New Sparks

Authors: JENTWCSINYFAN and THESDA

Rated: PG-13(minor cursing)

Summary: DK's old flame, Kerrigan Doherty returns to his life with secrets and new sparks rekindle old flames. What will happen?

DISCLAIMER: We do not own anyone except Kerrigan.

Author's Notes: Jen and I have been RPing Kerri and DK for about 4 years now so this has been coming for a while we finally got together on things. Enjoy please read and review.

Chapter 2

New Sparks

Tears streamed heavily down Kerri's face, taking everything in her power not to break down until she got upstairs. She laid her now calmly crying daughter on her bed and covered her so she could sleep. She walked out to the roof and her composure crumbled. She fell against the building sobbing hysterically.

Jimmy saw his niece asleep again peacefully on the bunk and then went searching for his sister. He heard her outside. "Hey come here." He just knelt and wrapped her in a huge brotherly hug. "Shah it's all right getting it out honey. I'm here and I'm not going anywhere, lean on me."

His hug only brought her tears more to the surface as she wrapped her arms around him. Her body was racked in sobs, "I'm sorry Jimmy. I'm sorry" she said, "I'm sorry for getting you in trouble with DK. I'm sorry for everything, Maybe I should take KayLeigh and leave and get away, Get a transfer," she said with sobs.

Jimmy said, "Hey don't worry about DK and me right now. And give him the satisfaction of pushing you out of my life, hell no that's not the sister I know. "He hugged her again. "You have nothing to apologize for, he was wrong hon. Stay here for me ."

She continued to sob. She held onto him, "I just wish that I wasn't so stupid when he wanted to marry me and I ran the other way, I can't even use the excuse I was as young. I was 28," she said, "I was stupid yes, but now I'm a single mother who Is living with the ghost of her ex and without the only man I've ever loved"

Jimmy said, "You weren't ready at the time. But If he wanted to work it out now would you go back to him? I think when he cools off and gets himself together he will still want you. He will want in his daughter's life that much I know so you have to be prepared for that."

"He's never gotten over you either, sure he's had casual dates since but only to a point. When they got serious he cut it off. I just wonder If he'll ever be my friend again."

"I'm sorry Jimmy that I asked you to lie to him" she said, "I cost you your friendship." She took a long deep breath still in her brothers arms. "I'd love to go back to him. I don't think that I'm deserving of him now" she said

"You were scared, of how he'd react or what he felt. And I did it to protect my sister, he has two of them so he should understand that. I thought of telling him many times but I also made a promise to you that I wouldn't." He sighed. "It will work itself out."

"And bull if he loves you like I think he does deep down you still deserve him, anger or not."

Kerri was glad that she was with Jimmy in his firehouse and not somewhere else. She nodded, "I hurt him bad" she said.

"HEY LIEU DOWNTOWN IS ON THE PHONE, IT'S URGENT," one of the guys called, thought the bunkroom

Jimmy said, "Well yeah you did but to be fairy he wasn't the nicest to you either today."

"And I have to go get that I hate downtown phone calls on Mondays." He patted his sister's shoulder gently.

Billy came up the stairs. He looked at the little girl sleeping on the bunk. "Cute kid." Then he looked at Kerri. "Some day huh," He touched her arm gently.

With the tension of the day when he touched her arm, she stiffened and flinched slightly. "Thank you" she said, "She looks like her father." A constant everyday reminder of the man she loved and hurt. "Yeah some day." she said still sitting on the ground on the roof.

"Funny I was thinking she looked somewhat like you." Billy smiled. "If you need an ear anytime I'm around all right. Just keep that in mind. I'm a pretty good listener around this place and I don't judge anyone about anything."

She looked at him her eyes obvious that she had been crying. "You just met me. You've known him for what 10 years easy. And the first impression of me Is how could she rip out his heart, stomp on it and then show up five years later with his daughter in tow" she said, "It's a wonder any one but Jimmy is speaking to me"

"Hey now wait just one minute. First of all, yes I have known DK for a long time, second of all he's been on the edge of burnout for a while which had nothing to do with you and third, I prefer to know someone first before I make any opinions, good or bad. So shall we do this over?" He held out his hand "Billy Walsh, nice to meet you Kerri ."

"Kerrigan Doherty, and that's my daughter KayLeigh Marissa." she said. She heard the all too familiar alarms, "Be careful out there," she said

She watched the engine and all leave and went down to her office after checking on KayLeigh. She removed her contacts and put her glasses on. Her eyes hurt from crying. She pulled her hair up into ponytail as she sat in her office. She couldn't focus.

Meanwhile in the Bus and At Mercy

DK just sat there still and he was beginning to feel the pain in his hand after the first shock of cutting it. He had his head down a little bit and just felt Alex and whoever try to clean his hand or get the shards of glass out of it . Tears began falling down his face that he wasn't even aware of. He just felt so alone and empty. He looked at Alex and started to say something but then was quiet.

Alex slammed the doors to the ambulance and climbed up, next to him. "What is it DK" she said after she wrapped his hand. She put an arm over his shoulder.

"I messed everything up. I don't even know how you can be around me right now." He ran his hand through his hair and put his head down to face the floor. "I'm just so tired Alex too damn tired. "

"Come on tell me DK" she said, "You're my friend I'm willing to listen."

"How can you say that after what I did today? I find out about my kid and I go over the edge. I scare her and her mother and I didn't even meet her yet." he sighed. "I just don't like myself all that much right now."

"DK, she ripped out your heart 5 years ago, and did a Mexican hat dance on it. She nearly killed you." she said, "You don't have to give her any credit at all. She kept your daughter from you, why do you want someone like that"

"Well we have a kid together for one thing and I would in spite of what I did today like to know my daughter since it's been five years without that. I never got over her I guess." He sighed.

Alex sighed and left her arm over his shoulder. "You have every right to see your daughter. You could sue for visitation rights"

"I know that I have rights to see my daughter . I wouldn't put an innocent kid through a fight in court. That just hurts the kid later on in life."

"When you're up to it you could go talk to her ask to see her." she said all Alex wanted to do was go give Kerri a black eye. She said as they walked into the ER and placed in a room.

"Yeah we'll see when that is, it isn't going to be today I said enough to her earlier."

Then the doctor came and said "Come on back DK what was it today?" He saw his hand then. "Hmm looks like you need some stitches for one thing."

DK went with him then. "Yeah can you just get it over with so I can go home to bed."

The doctor said, "I've been meaning to ask how much sleep you're getting , doesn't look like nearly enough and I know you're underweight right now. You're going on light duty for a while after you have a three week vacation." He stitched his hand as he talked to him.

Alex stood with him, "Maybe he'll listen to you Doc, because he sure doesn't listen to us" she said.

"Well he has no choice here. If I have to I'll go over his head and tell the department he's at risk of hurting himself or others If he doesn't follow these orders."

DK said, "Fine I'll go home and I'll do light duty right now the firehouse is the last place I want to be."

The doctor raised an eyebrow, "Hmm then this vacation will be a good thing for you. You're free to go, here are your medical papers and let me put that in a splint for you to keep it elevated and dry for the first week."

Alex sighed, "You want me to talk to Uncle Joe and see if I can get him to get Kerri transferred," she said

"Thank you but no hon. I'm off for a while and when I get back I'll figure out how to peacefully coexist with her. Right now I just want to go back and drop this medical stuff off for Jimmy and then go shut this day off for a while."

"Sounds good" she said, "Come on lets go." She stood slowly.

"Yeah and can we get a Coke on the way I suddenly feel thirsty for one for some reason." He stood and said, "Look at this thing I look like a mummy with these bandages and the splint on."

"The joys of breaking glass with out a glove on," she said stopping at a soda Machine. "Here you go" she said opening it for him.

"Thanks." He took it awkwardly and sipped slowly. "Yeah kids don't try this at home believe me."

She smiled, and opened the door to the bus for him. The ride was quiet and Alex was taking everything in her power not to punch Kerri. They arrived at the station leaving him outside and the bus headed to a call.

DK returned and found the firehouse quiet. Alex was downstairs and had offered to take him home but he said he'd walked in and figured he could manage.

He went to Jimmy's office and just put the medical forms on his desk figuring the squad was out on a call at the moment. Then he was turning to leave quietly and he heard footsteps. He turned and thought please not anymore today.

She hadn't heard him come in. She got up and went to get coffee. She stopped on the first stair, "What came back for round two with my door" she said, cold tones filled her voice as she walked passed him to pour coffee. She sighed when she realized what she said, "I'm sorry," she whispered.

DK said, "No I just came to drop off some papers for Lieutenant Doherty before I went home." He exhaled slowly. "God everything I do bites me or kicks me right in the stomach, maybe I should use the next three weeks to figure out what firehouse I want to work in and get a transfer set up. " He sort of slid down the wall slowly to the floor. "Whoa must be feeling funny from losing that blood earlier." He tucked his head down near his knees untIl the faint feeling passed.

She placed her cup down and looked over at him. She saw him slide down the wall. And her feelings of love or whatever took over and she knelt next to him. "Der..DK...I'm sorry" she said, "I didn't mean it" she said, "Please don't transfer" she said. "Stay we can work things out."

"Kerri, right now I just need to go home and shut it off right now. I can't make any decisions about anything at this moment. Other than at some point I'd like to possibly try and see my daughter without scaring her to death." He felt like he could stand up again and did so slowly. "I'll probably talk to everybody here in about three weeks but I think my cell phone number is around here in Jimmy's office."

He picked up his duffel bag of spare clothes and then started walking out the door slowly. He had wanted to put his arms around her for a moment but he knew it wasn't right.

"DK wait," she said going after him. She waited for him to turn and threw her arms around him. She had wanted to do that from the moment she had walked in, "I'm sorry" she said, not releasing her grip from around him

DK just stood there and for a moment let her hold him. Then he hugged her back for a little while. He sighed. "I'm sorry this is nice and all but I need to get out of here. Tell Jimmy I dropped off my medical stuff and if he has any questions he can call me later. Right now, I'm going home to see what my apartment and bed look like for the next eight to ten hours."

"Do you want to meet her before you go" she asked. Letting him go reluctantly.

"Well uh sure if you think she won't be scared since I did what I did before." He went with her to her office to see KayLeigh even if it was to just look at her.

Kerri picked up their daughter, "KayLeigh, I have someone for you to meet. " she said, "KayLeigh this is your father" she said simply.

Even though the girl was scared before she smiled at DK, "Daddy" she said simply, shock on her face.

Kerri still held her walking over to Dk

DK said, "Hi honey, I'm sorry about before. I got angry and I did something I shouldn't have. But I promise that I will never hurt you in anyway ." He gently touched her hair and then her small face. "Daddy isn't well feeling too good today but when I feel better I'll spend more time with you." His hand throbbed and he inhaled slowly

She got down and walked over to him, and put her arms round his leg, "It's ok. I'm sorry you don't feel well. I want to see you again Daddy," the wide-eyed five your old said.

DK looked down at her. "You will a lot. " He smoothed her hair gently. "You're a sweet girl KayLeigh. Now daddy is going to go home and go to sleep for a while before your Uncle Jimmy gets back. But your mom can call me anytime and I am pretty sure she still knows where I live." He kissed the small girls forehead gently. "I'm glad we finally met angel."

End Chapter 2.….Read and Review.


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